Washington – Three years ago, Congress raised the age requirement for tobacco products from 18 to 21 to make America healthier.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Supported the change, which he said would help “stop early nicotine addiction among young people in Kentucky and across the country.”
The Tobacco Industry, Instead Includes “Tobacco 21” As an alternative to more aggressive measures, it is still a political change that has shown that Congress can take decisive action to protect public health.
But then two teens in New York and Texas legally bought guns to kill more than 30 people for fun – and despite today’s gunshots The leading cause of death in children – Congress is unlikely to allow the sale of firearms to the elderly any time soon.
Licensed gun sellers can sell shotguns and shotguns to those 18 years of age, but federal law restricts the sale of licensed firearms to consumers 21 years of age and older. Unlicensed sellers – people who are not professionals who sell guns – can sell guns to anyone aged 18 and over. There is no federal age restriction on the unlicensed sale of long guns.
But a bill that raises the minimum age for buying weapons is unlikely to get through Congress because of resistance by Republicans and armed groups like the National Arms Association.
“I don’t know yet what’s possible, if there are rumors that will raise the age, but we’re talking about what we’re doing in this particular profile. And that’s an encouraging conversation,” the senator said. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) On ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
Murphy led a new round of two-party talks in the Senate that will focus on stringent gun control measures, including measures to strengthen school safety, strengthen background checks, and encourage states to pass Red Flag laws allowing authorities to temporarily fire weapons. People who decide to pose a threat to themselves or others.
So far it is not yet known what he will do after leaving the post. Many Republicans told HuffPost last week that they don’t like the idea of raising age requirements or doing anything.
“I got my first shotgun for Christmas when I was 14,” Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) said. “You know, I don’t think this is the time to change the basic policy. I think this is the time to mourn with people who have lost loved ones, think about it and try to figure out what really caused it. And I don’t think we have done that yet. “
Senator Richard Burr (RNC) said it would be open to new legislation that would effectively stop shootings, but he didn’t think a ban on the sale of 18-year-old licensed rifles would prevent a recent mass shooting. 18 years old.
“I’m not sure the answer is yes, just by changing the age,” Burma said. “If that’s the case, we won’t buy tobacco or beer illegally.”
The researchers found As states raised the legal drinking age to 21 in the late 1970s and early 1980s, alcohol consumption dropped in the target age group, as did car accidents. Congress raised the minimum age for tobacco products in 2019 based on expert guidance that will reduce smoking. Cigarette manufacturer Altria Investors warn Who expects cigarette sales to drop 6% by 2020.
However, other Republicans also said new federal gun laws would not prevent 18 -year -old mass murderers. “Those who want to break the law will make way by avoiding the law. “These are just facts,” Senator Steve Dines (R-Mont.) Said.
The fastest way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun. “This is what happened in Texas,” Daines said last week before it became clear that police were in Walde. The gunman waited about an hour to confront him.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) admitted that raising the minimum age required to purchase an assault rifle “could be something that hinders some.” [mass shootings] In some cases, he said, but argued that other measures would be more effective, such as strengthening school safety and passing “red flag” laws.
Rubio also noted that the law was passed by his state, which raises the age for the purchase of firearms. Appealed in NRA court. In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of an individual to own a firearm.
The Second Amendment and the recent interpretations of federal courts are a big reason why federal gun laws are so difficult to pass. The sale of tobacco, on the other hand, does not enjoy such protection in the Constitution and elsewhere.
The Senate is expected to vote on arms reform after he returns from hiatus next week. Democrats have vowed to move forward even if a group of two -party senators fails to reach an agreement.
Meanwhile, Democrats in the House are preparing a broader package of gun control measures, including a bill that would raise the minimum licensing age for semi-automatic shotguns under the age of 21, which can receive magazines with more than five rounds of ammunition. The age limit does not apply to unlicensed sales or military personnel. The House action is unlikely to be big, as the Senate is looking at it.
The push to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco can be seen in the growing scientific understanding of the dangers of tobacco and the impression on the minds of young people, says Matt Myers, of a campaign for children without tobacco.
“Science has grown to show that young people between the ages of 18 and 21 are still making decisions they will never make later in life with potentially devastating and devastating consequences,” he said.
There is little desire among Republicans to recognize that easy access to guns can be harmful, especially since it costs legislation, but attitudes could change.
“If someone offered to raise the age of tobacco products to 21 years ago 20 years ago, they immediately shut down,” Myers said.
Source: Huffpost
